


Porta Sanavivaria (The Gate of Life)

by StudioCapsicum



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Tour Guide! Phil, Tourist!Melinda, philinda au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-02-15
Updated: 2017-02-15
Packaged: 2018-09-24 16:54:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,280
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9771887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StudioCapsicum/pseuds/StudioCapsicum
Summary: Phil Coulson and Melinda May have a chance encounter in Rome.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you elle_you_oh for being my beautiful beta and to @katalizi for her wonderful advice.

Phil knew “the talk” was coming; he’d read the most recent reviews he’d been given and couldn’t bring himself to disagree with them. He’d never imagined being a tour guide could be quite so tedious. Day in and out, it seemed like he took the same group of people around. They weren’t interested in the history of the place, only caring about how much he bent over backwards to accommodate them. He would never be a match for the overly attractive Clint, the always polite Steve, or the young and vibrant Daisy. 

Leaning back in the chair, he waited impatiently for his boss to enter the office, tapping his foot absent-mindedly while he tried to think of excuses. 

“Boring, uninspired, bland? Phil, I’ve never seen a worse evaluation. And Stark was my employee for an entire year.” Maria deadpanned, glad Phil had the grace to look embarrassed; unlike Tony.

“At least you don’t have to fire me because of the cost of sexual harassment seminars.” Being let go wasn’t the worst thing that could happen to Phil. He’d probably just go back to America and become a teacher, like he was supposed to do years ago. Truth be told, he couldn’t imagine anything worse, and the mere thought of it was enough to make him want to scream. “One more shift. If I don’t get a good evaluation then I’ll leave.” He hid his begging under a mask of indifference and after a moment of deliberation, Maria relented. They’d become friends over the past two years, and Maria knew he was the most educated tour guide they had. Somehow, knowledge didn’t matter in this industry anymore, as they only seemed to make money off the young and attractive guides, but it would break her heart to let him go. 

As he made his way home, he resigned himself to the idea that he was going to give one last tour and would soon be on a flight back to America. Although quietly, he hoped this group was filled with old women, as it was generally easier to guilt them into giving favourable reviews. 

 

The company he worked for did walking tours of Rome, and yet women always insisted on wearing heels. “When in Rome.” They’d tell him, giggling and assuming they were the first ones to be so witty. He still laughed, like he always did. Laughing at their terrible jokes was the easy part, the issue was paying attention to their answers when he asked repetitive questions about their life. 

He’d tell them interesting facts about all the landmarks they went past, pointing out the stairs where Caesar was stabbed, telling them the real story behind, “Et tu, Brute.” Most of them in return were taking selfies or running after a stray cat that was trying to mind its own business. It was hard to keep the smile plastered on his face when an old man had gone on a tirade about how the forum was insignificant in the history of the Roman Republic. Phil watched the weeks he’d spent on his Ph.D flash before his eyes, wondering if it was worth it. “Interesting point.” He grinned at the man, who shook his head in response and walked away grumbling. 

He tried his hardest not to roll his eyes as soon as no one was looking at him, but the urge was overwhelming. There was a snort of laughter near him, from a member of the group who he had pegged as the quiet recluse. She was tying her long black hair up, the heat finally getting to her. Looking at her feet, as he often did to judge the character of his clients, he smiled softly. Running shoes. 

“Is there a fountain around here?” She asked, holding up an empty water bottle. Phil grinned, leading her up the stairs, and towards a rock that released a steady stream of water. 

“It’s cold.” Gulping it down, the woman grinned at him. 

“It’s magic.” She grinned at him, wiping away a drop of water from her chin. 

“Sorry, I didn’t catch your name.” He said as she inspected the arch nearby. 

“Melinda May. And before you ask, yes I came alone.” She’d jumped up into the arch, staring up at the ornate carvings. She’d been asked that question by every tour guide she’d had on her trip so far, and was starting to tire of it. They were usually trying to figure out where her boyfriend was. “I’ve been travelling alone for a month now, and I got sick of the pretty boy tour guides.” Looking down at him, his smile faltered. “No offence.” 

“None taken. There are more important things than being a pretty boy.” Phil was smiling up at her. This wasn’t the fake smile he usually used on his clients, but a real smile that lit up his whole face. She was the only client who had talked to him like a human in months. Melinda paused for a second, looking down at him. He seemed genuine, unlike the other guides she’d had. 

“Do you want to bail on the group?” Oh God, he did. He couldn’t imagine anything better than running off with a beautiful woman, away from his job, away from his problems. 

“I can’t,” He stated instead, his face the picture of disappointment. Pouting, she jumped onto the ground next to him, 

“We’d better collect the others then. Where to next?” She was a few steps ahead of him, leading him back down the stairs and into the plaza. 

It made it hard to focus on being a tour guide, having her right there beside him. She asked countless questions, some silly, some important, and Phil began to sense that the group was becoming more invested now that it wasn’t just him on a rant about the importance of the bread and circuses. She was oddly charismatic, not standing in the spotlight, but gently forcing others to see him in it. 

The group slowly began to come around to him, including them in his banter, asking to take pictures with him. The older women had even taken to flirting with him, which meant he was red-faced for the rest of the day, blushing furiously if they so much as looked at him. It didn’t help they both grabbed his ass in the photo they took with him. Melinda snickered at him, pretending to enjoy the view over the Colosseum, but having next to no idea what she was looking at. 

Eventually the crowd dispersed a little to explore on their own, and Melinda beckoned for Phil to join her. “Well Dr. Coulson, how has your day been so far?” They both leaned on the rail and she nudged him gently with her shoulder. The heat was astounding, the blue skies above bearing down on them. 

“Hot. It’s a shame there’s no velarium any more.” He said, not able to help himself, cringing at his own nerdiness. 

“That sounds dirty.” She quipped, handing him a water bottle that she’d overpaid for. He chuckled, taking a sip of her water, and turned to face her. 

“And how has Rome been for the intrepid solo traveller?” She scrunched up her nose adorably, and Phil’s grin widened. 

“It could be better.” She stated. 

“How’s that?” He really hoped this was going where he thought it was. Some of her hair had escaped its ponytail, and was now hanging loosely around her face. He was trying to ignore the beads of sweat that dotted her skin, instead focussing on her eyes as she looked up at him.

“You could take me out to dinner.” She said simply. He let the statement hang for a second, the corners of his mouth twitching up. 

“If you’re sure it would improve your Roman experience.” He grinned cheesily, already knowing where he was going to take her. 

 

On his way to pick up Melinda, his phone started vibrating, a short text from Maria stating, “You live to fight another day.” Grimacing, he slipped his phone back into his pocket. He wasn’t sure which news he had wanted to hear, but he was disappointed all the same. Trying to set aside his dismay, rapping on the door, he stood outside, waiting anxiously for her to come down. He was taken aback with how beautiful she was, his anxieties completely forgotten as her smile lit up her face as he took her hand to start walking.

They arrived at the restaurant, a tiny place nestled between a fruit shop with a massive stand of oranges on display and a suspiciously dark wine shop. As soon as they entered, a wrinkled man bumbled up to Phil, throwing his arms up around Phil’s neck and hissing him heartily on both cheeks. 

“Phil! You brought a date!” The man said loudly. They were the only ones in the restaurant, which had a total of six tables, all unevenly spaced apart. The walls were lined with old farming tools and weapons, taking Melinda’s eye as she started examining them.  
“Phil brought a lady friend? Finally!” There was a call from the kitchens, the voice of a woman who had spent her whole life smoking. Phil rolled his eyes, chuckling softly as he pulled a chair out for Melinda. The woman soon came bustling out and kissed Phil’s cheeks, introducing herself and her husband to Melinda, who couldn’t stop grinning at their antics. “It’s wonderful to meet you. It’s about time Phil brought a lady friend to us.” She glared at Phil who blushed, staring at his feet. 

“Nice to meet you. I’m Melinda.” She held out her hand and found herself pulled into a hug, the rotund woman squeezing tightly and placing sloppy kisses on her face before letting go. Melinda sat, a perplexed expression on her face as the couple left, discussing something heatedly in Italian. “Do we get menus?” She asked Phil, completely baffled by the encounter. 

Phil laughed at her before responding “There are no menus here, they choose for you. Hopefully they remember the wine this time.” He grimaced, Melinda looking at him in awe. 

“These are the places you miss as a tourist.” She said excitedly. “Look! Why’s there a chastity belt on the wall? We’ll never know.” She grinned, and Phil couldn’t help but grin goofily back at her. The lighting was dim, two candles placed between them, and Phil loved the way the flames looked in her eyes. She was so excitable, so entranced by the small things. 

“Thank you.” He whispered, watching as she turned back towards him, having been distracted by the pair of rusty shears on the wall next to her. Silently questioning him, he explained. He hadn’t even meant to say it in the first place. “I think you saved my job today. If it weren’t for you I’d be on a flight back to America right now.” 

“I think we’re lucky we found each other. I was going to give Rome one last day, and if I didn’t enjoy it, I would have been on a flight back to America right now.” She grinned across the table, clattering sounds from the kitchen disturbing the moment as she found her hand reaching across to find his. 

“Why are you a tour guide if you hate it then?” She questioned, her arm was linked through his, her mouth full of gelato. They were walking along a cobblestone path, the lamp-light shining across the road, spreading a golden glow across them. The night was windy, trees rustling in the breeze, clouds speeding across the sky as Phil stared into the abyss of the night.  
“Look at tonight. I’m eating gelato, walking along the streets of Rome with a beautiful woman. Does it get better than this?” He joked, trying to keep the atmosphere light. Melinda left a moment of silence.

“Come with me.” She said, determined. He barked out a laugh, until she took a step in front of him, her hand resting lightly on his chest. “Why not?”

“I barely know you.” He said softly, millions of reasons running through his mind. Suddenly the reasons disappeared as she pulled on the back of his neck, her hand at the nape of his neck, running through his hair.  
“I feel like I know you so well.” She whispered before kissing him gently, her lips grazing over his before she pulled away. His eyes were closed and he tried pulling her back to him, surprised when she stood her ground. “Move forward with me. Please don’t get stuck here.” She whispered, practically begging him. Her dark eyes flitted up to his, trying to gauge his reaction. Phil was astounded. They’d met today and yet she understood his motives more than anyone else. She understood that he didn’t have any ties to Rome, that he was stuck, waiting for something, or someone, to find him. He took a step forward, leaning down and whispering,  
“Okay,” before his lips brushed against hers. Her lips parted immediately, drawing him closer as he threaded his hand through her hair, deepening the kiss. 

He knew he’d made the right decision when he woke six months later, tangled in the bed-sheets with her. Her hair was fanned out on the pillows, and after standing up and walking towards the window, he reveled in the breeze hitting his face. It was a bright morning, the sun shining across the rolling hills, craggy rocks standing out in stark contrast to the greenery. He felt arms wrapping around his waist and turned, pressing his lips against her forehead. 

Standing there with her was exactly where he needed to be.


End file.
